


Drink Up Me Hearties Yo-Ho

by OlicityandKlaroline



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Mermaids, Pirates
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-16
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-08-09 04:40:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7787161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OlicityandKlaroline/pseuds/OlicityandKlaroline
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hey everyone! I found out recently that Pinterest just so happens to have a lot of pretty good writing prompts. I was browsing the app and found a mermaid prompt, which sounds like it would make a really awesome fic.</p>
<p>So, I figured I would take my own crack at it. I don’t think I’ve read very many mermaid/pirate AUs before, so this will be interesting. Here we go! (FYI, there’s also a tiny bit of Pirates of the Caribbean mixed in. Especially in the titles of the chapters.)</p>
<p>DISCLAIMER: I am not pretending to be even remotely historically accurate with naval hierarchy! I also don’t know if getting married on a ship is a thing in this time period, but it‘s necessary for my plot.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Skull and Crossbones

Port Royal, Jamaica. 

Felicity Smoak was getting married today.

That was the thought running on an endless loop in her mind as she stood in front of the mirror, looking at herself in her wedding dress. The borderline tacky number was full of frills and bows and petticoats, all culminating into a puffy, unbreathable white monstrosity. Needless to say, Felicity was not thrilled. Of course, she wasn’t exactly thrilled about the choice of groom, either.

Cooper Seldon was a prominent and well-liked captain in the British Royal Navy who had sailed with Felicity and her father when he was assigned to govern Port Royal in Jamaica. Having been recently promoted to the title of Commodore, Cooper found himself in need of a wife. Felicity was sure that when talk began of his potential marriage, he would choose Elizabeth, the daughter of the previous Commodore. Elizabeth was from a prominent family, and was closer in age to Cooper than Felicity ever would be. With just over nine years between them, Felicity and Cooper frequented different social circles, and rarely spent any time together outside of the greetings they gave each other when Commodore Seldon spoke to her father. However, the entirety of Port Royal was surprised when Commodore Seldon asked Governor Smoak for his daughter’s hand in marriage. Felicity was stunned. On top of the fact that Felicity had only just been introduced into society when she turned 18, she and Cooper had never been more than acquaintances, at least in her mind. 

While she had resigned herself to the political arrangement her marriage would be, there was a silver lining to her proverbial dark cloud. In their chaperoned meetings, Cooper went out of his way to make Felicity feel comfortable around him, and assured her that he would always protect and care for her. At least, it seemed, her married life would be kind.

0o0o0

Everyone was waiting. All of the necessary officials and members of high society were outside on the deck, along with the priest and Cooper. Felicity’s father was in the captain’s cabin with her, the two of them getting ready to walk down the aisle toward her future. 

Felicity adjusted her veil one last time, slipped on her delicate lace gloves, then picked up the bouquet laying on the nearby table. She turned to her father, hoping that her expression was composed enough to hide the worry and slight dread churning her insides.

Governor Smoak had an unreadable expression on his face. His mouth opened and closed a few times, like he wanted to speak but couldn’t find the words to say. Finally, he took a deep breath and said, “Felicity, my dear, while I understand that this marriage was not exactly what you envisioned for yourself, I am glad that you seem amenable to it. It may not be the love match you were hoping for, but Commodore Seldon is by all accounts a kind man, and he will provide for your every need.”

Felicity sighed. “I know that, Father. This marriage may be a political arrangement, but I feel that I could grow to love him. Eventually.”

Pacified, her father extended his arm for her to take. Felicity looked around the room one last time. This is where she would also be spending her wedding night with her husband. On his new ship, that had been specially commissioned to commemorate not only Cooper’s promotion, but his marriage to the Governor’s daughter. Father and daughter walked out of the cabin together. Stepping into the bright sunlight, Felicity blinked a few times under her veil to adjust to the brightness. With a gesture from her father, the quartet in the corner began playing the wedding march. 

Felicity clung tightly to her father’s arm, nervous with everyone staring at her. Her anxiety and dread now felt like a solid weight in her gut.

Before she new it, they had reached the end of the aisle. Felicity looked up, startled, to see Cooper looking at her with a peculiar expression on his face. To their audience, he looked the picture of happiness. But that happiness was not remotely present in his eyes.

Governor Smoak grasped the hand that had been holding onto his arm, and placed it in Cooper’s waiting one. Though the lacy fabric of her gloves was so thin her nails could be seen through the mesh, she could barely feel his skin against hers. There was no warmth, no feeling. Having just been both symbolically and literally given away, Felicity turned to Cooper, who lifted her veil from her face. She made sure to school her features into the expected expression of adoration, while in reality she was feeling everything but.

The sound of the priest’s voice droned on as the prayers and vows began. 

When it came time to kiss the bride, Felicity had hoped that their kiss would be able to reveal something of Cooper’s affection towards her. But she felt nothing. Just cool lips pressed to hers. No spark, no tingle, no feeling. She made sure that none of her disappointment showed on her face when he pulled back.

The reception was filled with laughter, conversation, and dancing. At least, that is what Felicity saw from her spot on the sidelines. Cooper had gone off to converse with a group of naval officers, leaving Felicity to deal with the plethora of well-wishers by herself. After having to greet far too many people, whose names she had forgotten almost immediately, Felicity had finally managed to grab a moment to herself. She had finally found a semi-comfortable position to sit in her extremely uncomfortable dress when she heard her name being called. Looking up, Felicity saw Cooper walking across the deck toward her, his hand outstretched. Heaving a silent sigh at having to stand, yet again, Felicity got up form her perch and walked toward him, taking his hand. Even without the gloves, which she had taken off with her veil for the reception, she could barely feel his skin.

Cooper led her toward the stern of the ship, the rest of the party following. Reaching the rear railing, he turned back toward the guests, drawing Felicity toward him. 

“If I may have your attention, please!”

The crowd quieted. 

“While our marriage may have been… unexpected, I believe that, in time, it will become one of love and caring, with children and laughter and happiness. In the short time we have been acquainted, I have grown to love my new wife, and I hope that she will soon say the same of me.” Cooper looked around his ship, his hand holding Felicity’s waist a little tighter. “This ship was built for me, not only to commemorate my promotion, but to celebrate my marriage. I also wanted it to remind me of my love. So, with that in mind, I decided to name my ship the Felicity!”

The assembled guests gasped, then cheered with happiness, offering even more of their congratulations to the new couple. Felicity looked up at her new husband, shocked. Cooper smiled at her, and kissed her on the cheek. He then turned to face their guests, accepting their well-wishes and handshakes. Though she was still reeling at what had just happened, Felicity rapidly schooled her features to something more acceptable for her guests. All the while, her mind was working a mile a minute. To name one’s ship after someone was no casual decision. Felicity could only come to one conclusion about her new husband.

He was in love with her. So in love, in fact, that he named his ship after her. Had just announced his affections in front of the entirety of high society in Port Royal.

So why had she seen none of that in his eyes?

0o0o0

Felicity stood on the starboard side of the ship, resting her hands against the railing. Everyone else had already been taken back to shore by the crew, who wouldn’t be back until morning. Despite sailing out into the harbor quite a bit, the ship was anchored, and thus a full crew was not needed. She and her new husband were meant to spend the night on the ship, to both consummate their union and “christen” the ship. 

Felicity wanted to stay outside as long as she could, hoping to somehow delay the inevitable.

Hearing a noise behind her, she turned around to see her new husband striding towards her.

“What are you doing out here?”

Nervous at the odd tone of his voice, Felicity looked out at the dark water, unable to see where it ended and the night sky began. “I was just… admiring the view. With the weather being clear tonight, one can see the constellations,” she said hesitantly, hoping Cooper couldn’t hear the anxiety in her voice. 

“Hmm,” he responded, seemingly uninterested.

Felicity smiled slightly, saying, “If I could, I think I should like to be able to sit out here all night, just watching the stars. And then I would like to see the sunrise.” Felicity was hoping to draw him into conversation. She was trying to find the man who had courted her, who had told her how much he cared for her. 

She saw none of that man when she glanced at him.

Sighing in disappointment, Felicity began to step away from the railing, resigning herself to what tonight must entail. She took no more than two steps when she suddenly felt Cooper grasp her wrist painfully and yank her towards him. He grabbed the tops of her arms and squeezed, to the point where Felicity knew she would have bruises. She whimpered at the startling pain.

“You won’t be seeing any sunrises, wife.” The frigid tone with which Cooper spoke made Felicity look up at him. She did not like what she saw.

Felicity struggled to remove herself from his tight grasp, but to no avail. Cooper shoved her backward, pushing her to trip into the stairs. The thunk of her head hitting the edge of one of the steps echoed slightly, sending a blinding pain through her skull. Her vision faded to black as she lost consciousness. 

0o0o0

Felicity awoke to a splitting headache, and to the feeling of something pulling at her hands, tightening around her wrists. She tried to move, but found her legs bound as well. She tried to speak, to cry out, but found her mouth gagged. Felicity opened her eyes, looking around wildly for anything and anyone who could help her. Looking down at her feet, she saw Cooper grabbing her by the ankles, and tugging.

She was being dragged. 

Tilting her head up, Felicity tried to look behind him to see where he was taking her. She began struggling in earnest when she saw the railing that ran along the sides of the ship getting closer and closer. Despite the pain in her head, Felicity quickly realized what Cooper meant to do. 

He was going to toss her overboard.

They neared the railing, Felicity still wriggling around, trying to make it harder for Cooper to grab her. A sharp slap across her face stunned her momentarily, and Cooper seized that moment to through her over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. He set her on the railing and took hold of ropes binding her hands.

Tears pooled in Felicity’s eyes as she saw the cold calculation in Cooper’s. Her shoulder sagged as the realization hit her. 

Cooper was going to kill her. 

The tears streamed down Felicity’s face as she tried to talk to him through the gag in her mouth, tried to beg him to let her go.

Cooper simply smirked. 

“I want to thank you, Felicity,” he said. “Because of you, I’m going to become one of the most decorated and influential men in England. I’ll be in favor with the king.” His smile turned mocking. “And who would question it? After all, I will simply be honoring my poor wife’s memory. Isn’t that romantic? Especially considering that everyone thinks I’m so in love with you that I even named my prized ship after you.” Cooper gestured to the deck behind them, chuckling without humor. “Everyone will think that I’m terribly heartbroken over the fact that my delicate wife could not bear the thought of me going off and risking my life on the high seas, possibly even tangling with pirates. Her little heart couldn’t handle the stress, and so when she tried to take a breath of fresh air up on the deck, she leaned too far over and, tragically, drowned.” Cooper’s expression changed to one of faux sympathy. “We tried to save her, but her dress weighed her down too heavily and she had sunk too deep by the time we could get to her.” His face smoothed out, and his tone became casual, as if her were talking about the weather. “And of course, we’ll be unable to retrieve the body. Drownings never look very pretty.”

Felicity stared at him, her horror growing with every word he said.

Cooper tugged at the ropes holding her, bringing her face close to his. He kissed her on the cheek. Smiling coldly, he said, “Farewell, my bride.”

Felicity’s eyes widened as she felt him suddenly push. She didn’t even have time to take a breath before the cold water closed in around her. 

Darkness encompassed every direction as Felicity struggled to see the surface of the water. With it being night time, she didn’t know which was up or down. Even though her hands were still bound together, Felicity was able to reach up and remove the gag in her mouth. She tried to tug, gnaw, push at the ropes holding her, but the knots were too complicated and too tight. And she could feel her heavy bridal gown, soaked through, adding to her weight and making her sink faster.

Felicity’s lungs were beginning to protest. 

She kept wriggling, trying desperately to get to the surface. 

The pressure surrounding her was increasing. 

Her lungs were protesting even more. Her ears popped at the depth.

Her body stopped fighting.

The crushing weight of the water made it impossible to move.

She let out the last of her breath.

Her lungs, desperate for air, expanded. But instead of air, all she inhaled was water.

 

And there ends chapter 1! Hope you all liked it! I’m really excited to see where this one will go!


	2. Fathoms Below

Black. 

Awareness slowly returned to Felicity. She didn’t know where she was. Didn’t know how much time had passed. Didn’t know what was happening. 

She felt…weightless. 

Boneless.

Felicity tried to take stock of herself, orient where her limbs were located on her body. The lack of solidity surrounding her made her feel…disconnected. 

Almost like she was floating.

It took her a moment to feel where she thought her eyes were inside her head. When she managed to open them, that was all she saw. 

Black. 

Black so crushing and consuming that no light could even want to exist within it.

Was this what death felt like?

She didn’t know. 

0o0o0

After a while, or maybe a just a few seconds, Felicity thought she heard a muffled sound.

She tried to turn toward where she thought she had heard it, but found herself unable to move. Felicity blinked.

Was that…light?

It was getting brighter. 

The noise was getting louder.

More feeling was returning to her body.

Brighter.

Louder.

Brighter.

Louder.

Felicity felt a tugging sensation in her chest. Almost like someone was pulling on her heart.

The pull got stronger. And stronger. The light got brighter. The sound got louder.

With a final yank, Felicity was pulled forward. 

And gasped into consciousness.

0o0o0

Felicity opened her eyes.

Instead of black, she saw…blue. 

Blue…everywhere.

Turning her head slightly, she saw that she was laying in an alcove carved into a rock wall. Felicity sat up slightly, making sure not to hit her head on the low ceiling. there was what looked to be a blanket made from woven kelp draped over the lower half of her body. Felicity began to take off the blanket, preparing to stand up, when she looked down at her legs.

And screamed.

Or, tried to, at least. When she opened her mouth, no sound came out. Felicity’s panic rose as she looked around. She was in an unknown location, unable to call out for help, and someone had clearly operated on her, or experimented on her, because…

Because her legs were gone. 

In their place…was a tail.

A scaly, shiny tail. With fins.

What had happened to her?

Something seemed to shift at the edge of her peripheral vision. Pressing herself into the alcove as best she could, Felicity tried to hide and prepare for whatever was coming closer.

Suddenly, a face popped out from around the edge of the alcove. Felicity tried to scream again, but still no sound emerged. Until she heard a giggle that was distinctly not her own.

In her mind.

Felicity stared at the newcomer, eyes wide.

Long, dark curls floated around a small, heart-shaped face. Slanted, silvery-blue eyes gazed at Felicity in amusement.

“Finally, you’re awake! You were taking forever to wake up.”

Felicity opened her mouth to respond, but the girl shook her head. Then she placed her finger against her temple and tapped gently.

“Spoken word cannot be heard this far deep. All you have to do is think what you want to say and sort of…push the thought towards who you want to speak to.”

Felicity took a moment to formulate what she wanted to say, then she pushed with her mind. 

“Where am I? What has happened to me? Where are my legs? Am I dead? Can you read my mind?”

The girl winced slightly, placing her fingers against her own temple like she had a headache. “Maybe push wasn’t the right word. It’s really more of a nudge.”

“Oh, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. You’ll learn. To answer your questions, you are at the bottom of the ocean. You were drowned. Considering the circumstance, the seas changed you instead of letting you die. That’s why you have a tail instead of legs. You’re a mermaid, like me.” 

The girl pushed away from the wall, swimming around to show Felicity her tail, the colors of which matched her eyes. She twisted and looped through the water, showing off her skill.

When the other mermaid neared her again, she said, “And no, I cannot read your mind. Merfolk only hear the thoughts we are allowed to hear. Your mind is safe.”

Felicity sat in the alcove, trying to process everything she had been told. “What is your name?”

The girl grinned. “Lorelei. And you are Felicity.”

“How did you know that?”

“The ocean knows everything. It was here before us and will remain when we are gone. It saw what happened to you, and deemed you undeserving of your fate.”

“So…I’m not dead?”

Lorelei’s laughter echoed pleasantly through Felicity’s head. “No, silly. You are very much alive.”

“How long have I been down here?”

“Seven days.” A new mental voice emerged in Felicity’s head. Coming from the opposite direction of where Lorelei entered, a platinum blonde mermaid with a tail of deep purple. “That is how long the transformation takes.”

Felicity gaped at the news. Seven days… Then Cooper’s plan…

“What of my family? My father?”

The blonde mermaid’s expression was one of sympathy. “I do not know, Felicity. You are far away from where we found you. We mermaids live much longer lives than humans. Living in the past only leads to heartbreak.”

Felicity sat in the alcove in silence. Everyone she knew believed her to be dead at the bottom of the bay. And Cooper’s plan had succeeded. Her hands clenched into fists. It wasn’t fair! All she had ever asked for in life was love, and in return she received heartbreak and death. 

Felicity wanted to cry, but realized it wouldn’t do much good when surrounded by water.

Lorelei’s mental voice entered Felicity’s head.

“Lady Mirena, is it time?”

The purple mermaid swam out of sight, coming back a moment later with a smile on her face.

“Yes, Lorelei. Felicity, it is time for you to come and meet your new sisters. It is time for you to be welcomed into our family.” Mirena extended a hand toward Felicity, who slowly reached out and grasped it. She was gently tugged from the alcove, and the kelp blanket draped over her new tail fell. Looking down, Felicity became mesmerized by the thing that had replaced her legs.

The portion of her tail that had been her legs was a rich metallic turquoise, darkening into teal when it reached where her feet has once been. Unlike Mirena and Lorelei’s tails, Felicity’s did not end in a dorsal fin like a dolphin but in many fins, like the crowntial of a betta fish. The end of each scale as well as each fin was tipped in gold, with a section of gold at he top of her tail, blending into her skin.

“Your tail is quite beautiful. Not a color I have seen in a long time.”

Felicity looked up at Mirena, who still had ahold of her hand.

“How will I…how will I know how to use it? I never learned how to swim.”

Laughter from the other two mermaids was loud as it rang through her head. Mirena laid a hand on Felicity’s cheek. “Once you get moving, your muscles will know on their own.”

With that, Felicity was towed through the water, Lorelei at her side. Mirena gradually began to swim faster, tugging on Felicity’s arm harder. Trying to catch up, Felicity instinctively bucked her hips and used her fin to push through the water. The momentum nearly shot her past Mirena. Felicity quickly realized.

Her tail was strong. 

Easily keeping up with the other two mermaids, Felicity began to notice some things. 

The way her tail undulated easily, propelling her so quickly through the water.

The way it felt to be breathing in water instead of air, the slight heaviness in her chest that hadn’t been there before.

The way it felt to use her muscles, to feel her body move so efficiently.

It was…freeing.

Off in the distance, Felicity could see a large circle of mermaids. As she swam closer, the different colors and types of fins came into sharper focus. 

She also noticed they were all women.

Turning to Mirena, Felicity asked, “Does the transformation not work on men?’

“No. The seas decide who is worthy. They have never chosen a man.”

Reaching the rest of the group, Mirena gestured for Felicity to enter the middle of the circle. Once she was in position, Mirena began to project her thinkspeak to everyone.

“Fellow mermaidens, we gather here to welcome a new member to our family. With the seas as witness, will you accept her with open arms? Will you sing with her on the rocks? Will you swim with her to the deep?”

Felicity heard their reply, all of them responding with one voice.

“We will!”

Felicity would remember what happened next for the rest of her life. 

The mermaids began to sing. 

This sound did not travel through minds, but through the water itself. Felicity could almost see the way the song moved through the water, a call to acknowledge her new life as a mermaid.

It was a sound, a song unlike any other.

When it was over, Mirena swam up to her and kissed her on the forehead.

“Your life of the land has ended. May your new life of the seas be filled with freedom, and may you lure many a sailor to the deep with your song.”

With that, the ceremony was over.

Lorelei hooked her arm with Felicity’s and they swam toward Mirena together. 

0o0o0

The hours after the ceremony were spent teaching Felicity the ins and outs of being a mermaid. 

Avoid fishing routes to reduce the risk of being caught in a fisherman’s net. 

Hunting is to be done at night, to avoid detection by men.

Above water, her voice can be used to lure men to their deaths in the waves.

A mermaid’s kiss can keep a man from drowning. 

Should she ever step onto ground again, her tail would transform back into her legs.

The lesson done, Felicity was left to her own devices, so she explored the hidden cove in which the other mermaids lived. Situated in a small island, the cove was well hidden from the open water but large enough to house all of the mermaids.

It was through this exploration that she was able to find a little hidden spot in the cove, one that offered plenty of cover but still afforded her a view of the open ocean and the sky. There was a rock, just big enough to perch on, a foot or so beneath the surface of the water in that spot. When Felicity saw it, she knew that she would be spending most of her there.

0o0o0

That night, Felicity sat in her new spot. The other mermaids had either gone hunting or had settled in for the night. 

Felicity her back resting against the rock wall, was looking up at the stars. She named each constellation that she could see from her perch.

As the hours slowly passed, Felicity’s mind wandered inevitably to her previous life. To her father. To Cooper, and what he had done.

The longer she thought about it, the angrier she became. 

It wasn’t fair. 

Cooper was a despicable person, a miserable, vile excuse for a human being. 

And he got everything he wanted.

At her expense. 

While being a mermaid didn’t seem like a terrible thing, it most certainly was not the life she wanted. 

She wanted to find love.

To have children.

To grow old, having lived a full life.

To die peacefully, surrounded by her family.

And she would get none of that.

All because Cooper was a greedy, evil bastard.

Felicity seethed in anger and bitter sadness at the tragedy of what her existence had come to. Had Felicity truly drowned, the knowledge of Cooper’s deeds would have sunk with her.

But she was still here.

And now she was strong.

Fast.

Powerful.

Free.

Felicity looked down at her tail, thinking of the stories that she had heard whispered as a child, about the destructive power that sirens had to bring men to their deaths. 

A small, wicked smile slowly grew on Felicity’s face.

Cooper would not get away with this.

She would make sure of it.

And so, before the entire ocean and the skies above, Felicity made a vow.

Somehow, some way, Cooper Seldon would pay for what he had done.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: The parts where they are speaking were supposed to be in italics, but it didn't work. And if you wanted to see images of the mermaids' tails, their on my tumblr page!


	3. My Jolly Sailor Bold

CH. 3: My Jolly Sailor Bold

My heart is pierced by Cupid  
I disdain all glittering gold  
There is nothing can console me  
But my jolly sailor bold. 

 

Five Years Later

Felicity swam slowly toward the brigantine, her tail helping her glide silently through the water, unseen by the naval crew above her. The new moon in the sky not only hid her approach, it made the ship light up like a Christmas tree with all of the torches and lanterns hung around the deck. 

Felicity swam along the starboard side of the ship, toward the stern. There was something very specific that she wanted to make sure of before she and her sisters ripped the ship, and its occupants, apart. 

Normally, they would hunt quietly, feeding unnoticed by those who called land their home. But this was not a normal hunt.

As her head reached the surface, she could hear the muffled voices of the likely drunk crew much more clearly. She paused in the water, hidden in the shadows. 

“Captain, are you sure we should be sailing this route?”

“What’s the matter, Norrington? Don’t tell me you actually believe the superstitions.”

“Of course not, but you can’t deny the evidence. Four other ships in our fleet have wrecked around this area, with no survivors and no explanation as to how. They didn’t run aground, there weren’t any storms, and the ships didn’t sink. They were destroyed.”

Felicity grinned wickedly at that. Seems that she was building quite the reputation.

“Commodore Seldon wants the cargo aboard this ship to reach its destination as soon as possible, and this is by far the fastest route we could take. Not to mention that the Interceptor is the fastest ship in the Caribbean. I understand your concerns, Norrington, but this ship has enough ammunition to take down a veritable army. We’ll be fine.”

Felicity froze. Then she swam, as quickly and as quietly as possible, to the stern. Looking above the name emblazoned on the back, she saw the flag of the British Royal Navy. Felicity laughed in incredulity. 

She couldn’t believe her luck!

At the sound of her laughter, much of the noise on the ship silenced. A crew member on the ship spoke up, “Did you hear that? Is there someone out there?”

Felicity shrunk even further into the shadows to make sure she wouldn’t be seen. She wanted to take her time with this ship, and she would be damned if they spoiled her fun. She held her position, hoping to hear some more information, but the sailors who spoke had moved from their position out of hearing range. 

As the sounds of the ship grew quieter and all but a few of the lanterns were snuffed out for the night, Felicity soundlessly slipped beneath the surface of the water, calling out for her sisters. 

It was time. 

Taking the lead, Felicity’s head surfaced just outside the reach of the light from the lantern near the bow of the ship. She could hear the two soldiers on their watch shift walking slowly up and down the ship, moving to keep themselves awake. When one of them moved closer to her position, she carefully swam into the light reflected off the water from the lantern, making just enough noise to attract the eye of the soldier. His head whipped around, scanning the blackness outside the safety of the ship for any hint of movement. It took him a moment to notice the young, beautiful blonde head bobbing in the water. 

Felicity could hear him mutter, “What the bloody hell?…” He then caught himself and called out to her. 

“Miss? Can you hear me?”

Swimming closer, Felicity nodded.

“What are you doing in the water so late at night?”

Felicity shrugged what the soldier noticed were bare shoulders. “I felt like a night swim. I’m a very good swimmer.”

The second soldier, seeing the first leaning over the edge of the ship, called out, “What’s going on over there?”

The first soldier, grinning, called back to him, “It seems we have a little mermaid out for a night swim.”

Felicity smirked wickedly. You don’t know how right you are, sailor.

After a moment, both men looked down at her in the water. The first one said, “While you may think you’re a good swimmer, milady, it’s dangerous to be out in the water at night. There are any number of frightening sea creatures that come out at night. Maybe you should come up here with us and we can take you home in the morning, hm?”

Felicity sent a flirtatious smile at the men, lifting herself out of the water just enough to show them that the only thing covering herself was her hair.

“Maybe you should come down here and join me for a swim instead.” Felicity floated over to the side of the ship, pulling herself upward toward the sailors so she could look them in the eyes. “The water is so very nice this time of night.”

Both of the men leaned closer to her, their eyes glazing over. Felicity turned to the one on the left, saying, “You should jump in first and make sure it’s safe for all of us. But be quiet; we don’t want to wake anyone else up, do we?”

The sailor shook his head, his mind blank and his body immediately doing what she wanted. The sailor slipped into the water, barely making a splash. The cold shook him out of his stupor slightly, but before he could sound an alarm, one of Felicity’s sisters surfaced in front of him. Her hands framing his face, she looked him in the eyes. 

“I’m inclined to simply take you as my meal and be done with it, but my sister is leading this hunt tonight.” Turning to look at Felicity, she asked, “Can I eat him? I’m getting hungry.”

“Just a moment, Nerissa.” Felicity looked at the other sailor still on the ship. He hadn’t, moved, hadn’t made a sound.

“What is your name, sailor?”

“James.”

“Well, James, if you can provide me with the information I seek, you’ll get a reward. Would you like that?”

He nodded vigorously, locked in her compulsion.

“What is this ship carrying?”

“Weaponry and supplies.”

“How important is this ship to Commodore Seldon?”

“Incredibly. The last two ships carrying this cargo never made it to port. Our reserves are dwindling and this shipment is meant to restock everything.”

“How many men are on this ship?”

“Twenty, including myself and Charles in the water.”

The two mermaids shared a hungry smile. “Enough for a meal and half for each of us, right Nerissa?”

“I have a feeling tonight will be fun,” said Nerissa. She looked at Charles, her grip tightening on him. Looking him in the eyes, her face began to morph into the predator she was. Her skin took on a scaly sheen, her teeth sharpened into fangs made for tearing flesh apart. But it was the eyes that always brought forth that delicious fear.

Seeing her for the predator she truly was, Charles began to scream and thrash in her grip, the water around them churning and splashing. Then Nerissa lunged for his throat.

Felicity watched for a moment while Nerissa ate, then looked at James. She brought her hand up to caress his cheek.

“James, there is one more thing I want you to do for me.”

“Anything,” he breathed.

Felicity grinned, her teeth sharpening.

“Sound an alarm.”

With that statement, Felicity allowed the predator within her to emerge in full force, her face changing and morphing the way Nerissa’s did. She barely heard James’ screams over the sound of her blood rushing through her veins in anticipation of the hunt. Gripping his shirt, she sank her teeth into his neck and ripped. 

Holding on to her writhing meal, Felicity jumped back into the water and began to chow down underneath the surface. 

The water quickly began to run red.

Felicity and Nerissa heard the other sailors on the ship running up to the deck to see what all the commotion was about. They left a couple of pieces of their meals floating on the surface within the light of the lantern to signify what was about to happen to the rest of the sailors. From the shadows of the ship, the mermaids watched as the pieces were discovered and as everyone armed themselves on the deck. 

A beat of silence as the sailors struggled in vain to see into the water.

Then…

Chaos.

Mermaids leaped out of the water, their tails propelling them over the railings lining the sides of the deck. Before the sailors could do anything but shout, their throats were ripped out. Blood spatter was rapidly staining the wood of the deck as more and more sailors were slaughtered. 

Felicity watched from the water for a moment, her hunger already sated. The screams of the sailors and the wet tearing of flesh gradually died down as the mermaids ate their fill. Then, one by one, they pulled themselves over the edge of the ship and back into the water, letting the current wash away the blood marring their faces and scales. 

Felicity hoisted herself back on to bow of the ship, where a lantern had managed to remain lit. Taking a hold of it, she looked around the deck, spotting what she was looking for. Taking careful aim, Felicity threw the lantern at the powder keg near the main mast. 

BOOM!

The explosion of fire and gunpowder knocked Felicity off the bow and into the water. Surfacing, she and the other mermaids watched as flames consumed the ship. The fire spread quickly, climbing up the masts and fanning out to the sails. The twang of ropes snapping apart and the creak of wood splintering echoed through the area, though only the mermaids were around to hear and watch the ship go down. 

The other mermaids, finished, began to swim home to their cove, satisfied at another successful hunt. 

Felicity stayed and watched as the ship burned and broke and sank, until nothing but debris was left. 

Unlike Cooper, Felicity would stay until she saw her task completed.

 

0o0o0

The next day brought warm sunshine and not a cloud in the sky. On days like this one, Felicity liked to lounge in her special spot in the mermaids’ cove, the sun glinting off her scales and warming them. As her mind wandered, she began to reminisce about her time as a mermaid and how much she had changed.

Nearly five years ago, just a couple of weeks after Felicity’s transformation.

Felicity sulked in her special spot, frustrated and disgruntled. Her sisters had just returned from a hunt and had brought the ship’s bounty with them. Included in the loot was a tightly wrapped bundle, which, when opened, contained what looked like important letters and manifests. When Felicity saw written text in front of her, she rejoiced. Being a mermaid did not allow for Felicity to indulge in her hobbies from her previous life. 

However, upon holding the papers in her hands for only a few moments, she noticed the ink on them rubbing off rather quickly, and the paper was rapidly beginning to deteriorate beneath her fingers. Soon all she had were a few scraps clutched in her hands. Felicity had been so thrilled to see the written word again that she momentarily forgot that water and paper don’t exactly mix. Angry, she swam away to her spot to sulk. 

She had never realized being a mermaid would be so vexing.

Mirena’s “hello” shook Felicity out of her brooding. She greeted her elder quietly, still upset.

“What is wrong, child?”

Felicity sighed, feeling tears gather in her eyes. “I’m just realizing that there are things about my time as a human that I will truly never get back. Make no mistake, I am profoundly grateful that I now have a chance to make Cooper face justice for what he’s done, but I suppose some part of me deep down thought that I could have my old life and have my new one. Holding that book and then watching it disintegrate in my hands… was like watching that human part of me die all over again.”

The sympathetic look on Mirena’s face nearly made Felicity let those tears go. Mirena climber up next to her and took her hand. “Felicity, none of us expect you to immediately be an expert at being a mermaid. We have all been where you are. Each of your sisters, including myself, took time to accept the fact that we would never see our old lives again.”

Felicity squeezed Mirena’s hand in acknowledgement. “Thank you, Mirena.”

“You’re welcome.” Mirena’s expression changed, turning contemplative. “Felicity, you loved learning when you were human, yes?”

Felicity nodded, intrigued. “Yes. Due to my position, I had the opportunity to learn from some of the best tutors in the country. I surpassed their curriculum fairly quickly, though, so my father simply let me read and learn whatever I wanted. It might have simply been a way for him to keep me occupied, but I enjoyed it none the less.”

“Well, would you like to put that mind to use and learn about us?”

Surprised and elated, Felicity said, “Yes, of course! I have so many questions.”

Mirena laughed. “Then, little mermaid, come with me.”

The two of them breached the surface of the water and began swimming toward the other mermaids.  

As the two of them swam together, Felicity let her curiosity loose, asking question after question that Mirena seemed happy to answer. 

“So what exactly is “the seas”? Is it some sort of higher deity? Do you worship it?”

“No. It is simply…there. Did you not feel it during your ceremony?”

Felicity paused, remembering. “I felt something, but I didn’t know what it was.”

“I suppose you could think of it as…the answer.”

“To what question?”

“When we use our voice, sing our song in the water, it is what responds.”

“…I still don’t understand.”

Mirena’s chuckle was heard through both of their heads. “Give it time, little one.”

Changing the subject, Felicity asked, “Why are there no mermen?”

“Because there is something unique about us, Felicity.”

“What?”

“How we died. Every one of us is the victim of being killed by the sea. In your case, it was your new husband. In mine, I was stowing away on a ship bound for Brazil. A couple of the crew members found me and brought me to the captain. He believed that it was bad luck to have a woman aboard, so he had his men throw me overboard. We were nowhere near land, and my body grew tired before ever reaching shore.”

“That’s terrible.”

“Sometimes tragedy offers us a gift for the suffering we have endured. The ocean chooses us for a purpose, Felicity. As we were killed by those who believe they can control the ocean, we exist to remind them that they can’t. We were made to guard the seas, and we protect our home from those who wish to take more power than they deserve.”

“Do the other mermaids have stories like yours and mine?”

“They do. Would you like to hear some of them?”

“Of course! If they’re comfortable with telling me, that is.”

“Oh, don’t worry. Like I said, we age much more slowly than humans. For many of your sisters, their deaths were decades ago.”

And that was how Felicity learned of how the members of their sisterhood became a mermaid. 

Arista was kidnapped by a pirate when they came to loot her tiny village.They kept her on their ship for weeks, brutalizing her, until they no longer had enough supplies to feed her and the rest of the crew. So they knocked her unconscious and dumped her overboard. 

Nerissa had been thrown off a cliff after being convicted of witchcraft. Another girl in her town was jealous of the fact that a man was showing affection for Nerissa, so she spread a rumor that she was bewitching him. She was immediately imprisoned, having gotten no chance to defend herself.

Callisto had been beaten unconscious by her abusive husband. Thinking she was dead, he dumped her in a deep part of the nearby river, where she washed into the ocean. She never found out what happened to her husband.

Isla had accidentally been the witness to a murder in an alley. Before she could get away, the men committing the crime caught her and stabbed her. Not realizing she was still alive, the criminals tied rocks to her feet and to the body’s feet. Then they took both her and their other victim and dumped them in the bay, where they sunk to the bottom. She was the one who came back up.

Delphine was actually a child when she became a mermaid, and had been one the longest second only to Mirena. Delphine’s father thought she was being possessed by a demon, so he sought to perform an exorcism on her He hung her from a high branch of a nearby tree, hoping to choke the demon out of her. All it did was nearly kill her. Thinking that if he hadn’t exorcised the demon, he had at least killed its host, her father wrapped her up in an old cloak and sailed out, far from shore. When he had sailed far enough, her father pushed Delphine into the sea.

Just a few of the stories showed Felicity that they were all similar. 

Each woman, the victim of someone else, their choice taken away from them. The way hers was. 

They truly were sisters, not in blood, but in bond. 

They were her family now. 

And while justice may not be served to the ones who hurt them, maybe helping her with her plan for Cooper might give them some closure. 

And besides, it isn’t as though Felicity had anything left to lose.

 

So there is chapter 3! 

Think of the way that mermaids hunt as something similar to POTC: On Stranger Tides

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A better formatted version of this chapter is posted on my tumblr page. I go by the same name, OlicityandSteroline. Check it out!


	4. Queen's Gambit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Olicity meets

_Felicity_

The sun was setting, the vibrant reds, oranges, pinks purples reflecting off the surface of the open water. Under other circumstances, Felicity was sure she would be gazing at the sunset in awe.

However, these were not other circumstances.

And Felicity had another ship to destroy. And a meal to eat.

She had been following the schooner for days along its route, using the cover of darkness to torment the sailors on board. They had become so paranoid that something was hunting them that the captain had instituted guard shifts around the clock. Felicity smiled at the havoc she had caused. More work meant the men were more easily tired, which meant they would be more easily handled when she decided to eat them.

She could only hope that word of her deeds was reaching Cooper. The look on his face at hearing that yet another one of his ships had been destroyed would be priceless.

And then he would come out to supervise his shipments himself.

And then he would be in _her_ territory.

And she would finish him.

Felicity watched as the crew began lighting the lanterns for the night shift guards.

Tonight would be their last night doing so.

Unlike her previous hunts, Felicity had decided to handle this excursion on her own. No need to involve her sisters when she could easily take care of this smaller vessel.

She glided through the water, her powerful tail doing most of the work. Felicity swam in slow circles around the ship under the surface of the water, contemplating where she would locate her first strike.

Felicity was focused on her prey.

Too focused.

She was so immersed in her hunt that she failed to notice the other ship moving soundlessly through the water toward the schooner, and unknowingly toward her as well. The only warning of their presence was the _BOOM_ of a cannon firing toward the ship, blasting a hole through its starboard side and alerting the tired sailors.

The area erupted with the sounds of battle. The cracks of the wooden ships being pelted with gun and cannon fire, more splintering sounds as the remaining wood began to buckle. Flashes of exploding gunpowder accompanied by the cacophony of muskets and pistols firing. Screams resounded as the bullets found their marks. Bodies fell overboard and landed in the water with a splash.

Felicity dove deeper and swam away until she resurfaced at a location where she could see the entirety of the tumultuous battle that had begun between the two ships. She looked up, trying to locate if a flag was flying to distinguish who the ship belonged to.

She let out a loud growl when she noticed the black flag with a skull and crossbones. The chess piece in front of the skull and the crown above it mattered not to Felicity.

Because pirates had just come waltzing in to her carefully constructed snare and ruined _everything_. 

Bloody _pirates_.

She watched in frustration as some of the pirates swung over to the schooner and began fighting the sailors, while some of them stayed on their ship to maintain the gunfire. 

After all the ruckus these pirates caused, there would be no chance of her taking the credit for this ship’s destruction.

The battle was mostly over, the pirates having acted swiftly and ruthlessly, and Felicity was debating whether to stay hidden and see what would happen or to swim home and wait to attack another ship. The decision was made for her when one of the pirates, this one holding a rather intricately detailed cutlass that was probably stolen from some rich aristocrat who had bought his naval commission, swung over to the schooner.

The sound of a rifle firing reverberated through the air and Felicity saw the pirate flinch as the bullet blew a hole in his shoulder.

She watched as his grip on the rope slackened and he fell into the water. A large man yelled out, “Captain!” after him, calling for someone to throw him a line.

So this man was the captain of the pirate ship.

Felicity’s grin was feral. He would make a fitting recompense for the trouble caused. Maybe it would teach them not to interfere with her plans.

She dove beneath the surface again, swimming toward the submerged man. When Felicity reached him, she saw his eyes were closed, possibly still in shock from the bullet and then falling into the water.

She placed her hands on his face, getting a good look at the pirate captain. In any other circumstance, she would have considered him _quite_ handsome, worthy of a conquest instead of a meal. However, lessons had to be taught. And Felicity really was quite hungry.

She saw his eyes fluttering open as he realized he was under water. He startled at seeing her in front of him, but his eyes widened as he watched her face transform from that of a beautiful woman… into a predator.

Felicity bared her teeth, a growl rumbling in her throat. She lunged at the pirate, and bit down into his injured shoulder. He screamed under the water, the bubbles of air in his lungs escaping at his cry. He began struggling against her in earnest, but Felicity held fast, her jaw locked into his flash.

Until she felt a sharp slice of pain in her side.

Letting go of him, she looked down to see a knife protruding from her abdomen, the pirate’s hand holding the handle. Snarling, his blood dripping from her mouth and coloring the water, Felicity wrapped a hand around his throat.

Oh, she would _play_ with her food this time.

He ripped the knife from her side, sending another flash of pain through her. Her hand tightened around his throat, her nails beginning to dig in. She felt more than saw his uninjured arm reach out toward something and _tug_.

Felicity was still attached to the pirate, and she gasped as the two of them were suddenly _yanked_ out of the water.

Pirate and mermaid landed with a loud thump onto the deck of the pirate ship, the rest of the man’s crew surrounding them.

Through all of this, Felicity did not let go of her meal. Movement was much more difficult on the deck of the ship, her tail wriggling around ineffectually. She felt a kick to her side, the one that had been stabbed, and Felicity cried out in pain. The kick dislodged her from the pirate, and immediately she was covered by a net. Felicity still struggled, tangling herself in the net, her stab wound slowly healing as her transformation began.

She was no longer in water, which meant… no fins.

As the scales receded and skin took their place, Felicity curled into a ball as she began shivering in the cold night air. None of the men went near her, though, as her claws and teeth were still visible.

Felicity looked at the men surrounding her, each of them with a sword in their hands should she attempt anything.

The captain, aided by a crewmember, walked into her line of sight. His shoulder was still bleeding from both the bullet wound and her bite, and his neck was still marked where her claws had dug in to his skin.

He crouched down to her level, still out of her reach. His blue eyes studied her, watched as her tail disappeared and her legs formed.

Their gazes met, blue on blue, and Felicity let out another snarl.

The pirate smirked.

He reached up took the shirt offered to him by one of his men. Still crouched in front of Felicity, he held the shirt out to her.

“You’ll want to cover yourself with this,” he said.

Her eyes flipped between his face and the shirt. Her hand whipped out and grabbed it, her claws scraping his skin in the process. He flinched back, his gaze now angry.

She was the one who smirked.

He narrowed his eyes at her as he watched her put on the shirt. He gestured to the men behind her, who began untangling her from the net. Once free, two men gripped her arms tightly, hauling her up to her feet. 

The captain stepped up to her, looking her over.

“You can speak, correct? You understand what I’m saying?”

Felicity sneered, before replying, “What I understand is that you buffoons had the audacity to simply waltz in to my carefully laid trap and ruin everything!”

The pirate raised an eyebrow. “Your trap? What exactly were you doing?”

Felicity huffed at having to explain herself. “If you must know, I was pursuing those sailors for _days_. Tonight was the night I would finally have them, and what happens? A bunch of bloody _pirates_ show up.”

His face turned contemplative. “Why were you targeting that ship?”

Felicity’s expression immediately closed off. No way was she going to tell him _anything_.

He noticed. “Fine. If you won’t tell me, maybe a few days in the brig will loosen those lips.”

Felicity scoffed. He clearly had never dealt with mermaids before.

“Who exactly do you think you are, pirate?”

“Oh, forgive me for not introducing myself while you were trying to eat me,” he said, his tone mocking.

“My name is Captain Oliver Queen. Welcome aboard the Queen’s Gambit.”


End file.
